


Bless The Broken Road

by ThatBohoFemme



Series: Our Town [3]
Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Awkward Conversations, Developing Relationship, Idiots in Love, Living Together, M/M, Modern AU, Motels, They own a bar together
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:33:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21643723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatBohoFemme/pseuds/ThatBohoFemme
Summary: He held his breath as he took it all in. The time-worn Brick. The paint peeling off the deck in huge chunks. The fact the building looked like it might collapse at any minute. This couldn't be safe.The door popped open, as the man stepped back, gesturing for Sheamus to join him. "I promise I don't bite. Please come out."
Relationships: Antonio Cesaro/Sheamus
Series: Our Town [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1298084
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10





	Bless The Broken Road

**Author's Note:**

> I saw [this](https://mitchtheficus.tumblr.com/post/173720168054/sheasaro-they-own-a-bar-au) Tumblr post ages ago and never did anything with it. 
> 
> Then, as I got more into my Small town AU, this made a ton of sense. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

_Mum warned you about marrying Barrett but you knew better._ Sheamus internally beat himself up as he drove, following the directions Cookie Monster gave him. He hadn't bothered to change the voice on Waze for the last 500 miles and he had no intention of doing it now. _She warned you about buying this bar and yet... you know better._

When Dean called, Sheamus immediately knew something was up. His college roommate-slash-best friend only called when something (inevitably) went wrong and he needed to be bailed out. 

_What now?_

_You're single, right?_

_Aren't you engaged? The personal trainer? Also- just got divorced. Quite nasty. Probably shouldn't date again anytime soon._

_Dude, stop. Don't want to date you. That's weird. Plus Seth doesn't like to share. Sorry about your divorce._

_Got a nice settlement. He got the dog. I miss Muffin._

_Well, that's why I was calling..._

_He gave you Muffin?_

_No. Moving on._

_Spit it out._

_I swallow. Not that you needed to know that but... do you want to buy a bar?_

Dean needed to sell his share of his business. Seth had a _great_ opportunity in Chicago but wanted Dean with him. The only way that would work would be for Dean to offload the bar as fast as he could. 

Sheamus hadn't taken very long to make his decision. He was alone. He didn't have a dog. He was sick of working long hours in a call center. He needed a change.

Without stopping to contemplate what he was actually doing, he agreed to buy out Dean. 

"This might have been worse than marrying Wade." Sheamus stopped the car in front of a battered brick building. It was in dire need of sandblasting and a fresh coat of paint. "Know I needed a change but this might have been a bit much." 

Had he come to the right place? This place couldn't possibly be in business. Maybe Cookie Monster had gotten confused. After all, they were in the middle of nowhere. Had he accidentally gone to the wrong place?

"Don't look so terrified!" a man with a hard-to-place accent boomed, as he approached the car. "My customers say the atmosphere is part of the charm. They don't judge it- so it doesn't judge them." 

"Right." Sheamus said this so softly that he knew the man hadn't heard him. He held his breath as he took it all in. The time-worn Brick. The paint peeling off the deck in huge chunks. The fact the building looked like it might collapse at any minute. This couldn't be safe. 

The door popped open, as the man stepped back, gesturing for Sheamus to join him. "I promise I don't bite. Please come out." 

Against his better judgment, Sheamus stepped out of the car. He left the keys in the ignition on the off chance he needed to make a fast exit. After all, he still wasn't convinced this was his new home. 

"My name is Antonio Cesaro but please call me Cesaro. You are Sheamus- I assume?" The man extended his hand, offering a friendly handshake. 

Sheamus accepted the gesture, giving it a firm shake. "Yeah. That's me. Sheamus...Bar- No Last Name yet." 

"Sheamus Bear No Last Name. I like it," Cesaro teased, his grin widening. "Welcome. Let me show you around and finish with the accomodations." 

Cesaro started towards the building, gesturing for Sheamus to follow. Sheamus followed a few paces behind, the entire time wondering if he could still use his opt out clause. 

"Going to kill Dean," Sheamus muttered, pulling the glass fronted door open. "Should have known." 

Dean Ambrose had always been a notorious dreamer. It had been like that in college. Apparently, he still felt that way. Only someone like him could look at this dump and assume people actually wanted to be there. 

The inside of the bar wasn't much better than the outside. 

"And how is business?" Sheamus glanced around, taking in the dark green walls and the old barstools with stuffing poking out of their leather tops. If anything, it was clean. 

Then again, that wasn't saying much. 

" _Much_ better than you would think." Cesaro leaned against the scarred bar, and glanced around. "We're the only gay resort for miles. We have a bar, a nightclub, a motel, a _clothing optional_ pool and the peace of mind that comes with inclusivity." 

"And I bought what exactly?" Sheamus hadn't read the contract as closely as he probably should have. Dean had mentioned a bar. He had said _nothing_ about a resort. Dean's lawyer- a lovely blonde woman by the name of Lana- had assured him it was a standard business deal- purchasing Dean's part of the business at below market value. 

_Maybe_ he should have read it before signing. 

"You are 48 percent owner of this place." Cesaro reached out, clapping Sheamus on the shoulder. "Come see our quarters!" 

Sheamus blindly followed Cesaro around the property as he pretended to listen to the grand tour. As he walked, he replayed the conversation in his head. It had been so much to take in and yet... he still felt like he missed something crucial. 

Then, it hit him.

Skidding to a stop, he inhaled and exhaled several times. He couldn't lose his temper on this man. It wasn't Cesaro's fault that Sheamus hadn't known what he was getting into. He had to show _some_ level of restraint. 

"Excuse me, Fella. Did you say _our_?" 

"Yes." Cesaro stopped, gazing over his shoulder. Sheamus couldn't quite read his expression. "Dean _never_ liked staying in the building alone so we converted his suite into a 'fantasy den'. Think it spooked him that we were so far out here." Cesaro shrugged. "What can I say? Dean Ambrose is a very odd man." 

"Agree. I lived with him for three years in college." Sheamus stared down at the dirt, scraping the toe of his black leather boot against it. Had he made a huge mistake? 

Living with Wade had been hell on Earth but it couldn't be worse than this mess. 

"He majored in _Philosophy_?" Cesaro glanced up, scanning the sky for something Sheamus couldn't see. 

"Double major- I think. Philosophy and business management." 

"Such an odd pair." Cesaro shook his head, as he gave Sheamus the once over. He started at his head and ended at his feet. "IT?" 

"Computer science and marketing with a minor in business administration. Not that I ever used it." Sheamus jammed his hands in his pockets, as he stared harder at the ground. "Haven't had much need for them until now." 

They began walking again. Perhaps sensing Sheamus wasn't in the mood to talk, Cesaro quieted down. Sheamus used the time as a respite to think about how his life had turned out.

Shortly after marrying Wade, Sheamus had ended up taking a job at a call center, adjusting transaction points for a loyalty reward retail program that frequently malfunctioned. Despite frequent promotions, he had _hated_ that job with a fiery passion. The only plus of it had been the promotion bonuses, enabling him to set aside a decent amount of money for a rainy day. 

"Here we go." Cesaro stopped in front of a cream and orange colored vintage motor home. "Home sweet home." 

Sheamus only managed to stammer out a few incoherent syllables as Cesaro walked up two stairs and pulled the metal door open. 

"It's not much but it's home." Cesaro jumped down, holding the door open. "You first." 

Fearing a concussion, Sheamus ducked as he stepped inside. To his utter amazement, the ceiling was higher than he imagined. If nothing else, he fit. There didn't seem to be many places like this that could accomodate his 6'4 frame. 

"You run a motel- why do you live in a trailer?" he asked, calling over his shoulder. "Weirdest thing I ever heard." 

"We're the only place of its kind for about 200 miles. Between that and the _speciality_ events, we are frequently sold out." Cesaro shrugged for what felt like the millionth time that afternoon. "Came with the place. Seemed like a waste not to use it." 

Sheamus settled on a threadbare sofa, holding back a surprised sound as he sunk in. This couch had clearly seen better days. This was _overwhelming_. 

He had gone into this with an open mind. After all the shit with Wade, he had _desperately_ needed a change. He just hadn't expected this much of a change. 

"It's a lot- sorry." Cesaro pulled back an old kitchen chair and sat across from Sheamus. "I assumed Dean would have filled you in." 

"I claim this as a new experience." Sheamus wasn't at a point where he trusted Cesaro enough to tell him the entire story of Wade Barrett. "Needed a change, and this... well, I got it." 

"That's true." Cesaro jumped to his feet, and began to fuss with a coffee maker. "Coffee? Not as good as Charlotte's but it's passable." 

"Please." Sheamus didn't bother to ask who Charlotte was. His head was awash in information. None of this made sense and yet, he stayed. After a moment, Cesaro placed a blue chipped mug in front of him. "Milk and Sugar?" 

"Here." Cesaro opened a mini-fridge and pulled out a glass bottle of milk. Then, he grabbed a sugar bowl off the counter and set them both in the center of the table. "Charlotte runs the coffee shop in town." 

"Oh." Sheamus opened the bottle of milk and splashed it into his coffee until it was the right shade. Then, he added two cubes of sugar, stirred with a spoon Cesaro had produced from a dish drainer and took a long sip. "This is..." 

"It's something but I think you'll be fine." Cesaro sat again, sipping his own cup of coffee. 

"Good coffee." Sheamus wrapped his hands around the mug, basking in its warmth. "Trying not to think about what I've gotten myself into." 

"You'll be okay. This place practically runs itself. We run lunch service for the town on the weekdays. There are a few regulars who come to drink but generally, most of our business is on the weekend." 

"Right." Sheamus shook his head as he glanced around again.

In that moment, he made his decision. 

Once he figured this out, he had his next mission already planned. 

Dean Ambrose was a dead man.


End file.
